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VOL. XL. :SO. 91. NEWBERRY. S. C.. FlIID.A.Y. -MA-RCII 25. 1904 TWVICE A WEEK. S1.50 A YEAR
THE NEWBERRY OF THE
DAYS THAT ARE PAST
LETTER FROM FORMER NEWBERRIAN,
NOW LIVING IN TEXAS.
Graphic Description of Old-Time Sales
day-The Courts and Lawyers of
Those Days and Now.
Woodvilie. Texas. March. 1904.
-Laws. as we read in ancient sages.
Have been like cobwbs in all ages:
Cobwebs for little flies are spread.
And laws for little folks are maide.
But if an insect of renown.
Ho0rnet or beetle. wasp or drone.
Be cf.ught in quest of sport or plun
der.
The flimsy fetter flies asunder."
Ouoth some one. 'There is a
grave doubt whether there are any
lawyers in heaven." Dickev. the
historian. savs there is one.-St.
Yoes.-and that the peasants of
Brittany. celebrating the feast of
St. Yoes. sing: -Advocatus'et non
latro: res nirando populo." (A
lawyer and not a robber: a wonder
ful thing to the people).
Entering the court house block
from the west. we take a (Iraught
from the cool, bubbling spring,. sur
rounded by a few shade trees. Then
on to the market house, a small
square building with the only bell
in the village. except the Fernandez
hotel bell. The market house bell
called the people to meat and to
meeting at the court house. for at
this time there was no church in the
village. Nereby was a square.
rough rock building, with beetle
browed and gloomy front. "the
block flower of civilized society.
enclosing a debtor's room. the
black flower of barbarism. It was
a two-story building, with dwelling
for the iailer on the first floor. The
jailer was that irascible old tinner,
Frank Price. There were two
rows of cells. with prisoners look
ing longingly out of the grated
windows. The last ones I knew to
have been taken to the whipping
post were two white men convicted
of theft. Capt. James Bonds. the
sheriff, invited me to see the whip
ping, but I declined. The abolition
of the whipping post was a good
thing. save that a wife whipper
should be tied to it.
-SALESDAY OF THE PAST.
Going to the -front of the court
house. we find it is salesday. a day
that nirrors the life and spirit of
the times. A surging crowd of
rural folks are there. Around the
court house are friendly groups of
good-looking. prosperous. cheerful
citizens, indulging in cordial, hear
tv conversation. and with quiet
laughter interchanging kindly
greetings. Under the old locust
groups of intelligent and refined
citizens are discussing the political
and material issues oi the day. How
many happy memories centre
around that old tree! In front of
old Gil's. where the ticklers are re
filled, is a remarkably atheletic,
well-formed young man, James
Buzhardt, who has at three jumps
covered thirty-six feet, and young
men are trying to beat it; but, nc
go! It is a time for horse-swap
ping. You see Jim Denson, a good
judge of horses, afterwards killed
at Cherubusco in the Mexican war,
coming along with his arm crook
ed at the elbow. Seeing a good
horse. wvith his favorite expression.
he says. "Stranger. will you trade
-that horse of. your 'n? "..
Dick Ay-res. Nick Kinard, Jack~
Enlow, B. W. Nix, and others are
on hand with their ticklers holding
half a pint. (When a fellow opens
the gates of his soul with wvhiskey
the dlevil enters in). Often tickling
led to fighting and fighting to tick
ling: they go w"ondlerfully well to
gether. Dick Avres was alw~ays
readyv to accommodate any' one thai
would "be so kind as to tread oi2
hi mot ail.11" I think Dick's con
ception it 1'olonitis a<lvice was I;ke
the Irisihma's: 'Don't fight wvid
cry scutt for the pure joy oi fight
i, but if vou do. knock the nose
i of him first and frequent."
The crating, club is. on hand
The cry. "crate." is heard. and is
repeated from different directions.
!ig Andy hears the cry and is on
the lookout. The rowdies hunt for
their horses and if any one of
them remains Iig Andy. a large
a1d powerful man, crates him.
-huriries him .fi to.the curl hole
;pposite Diver's .\cademy, near
where the Jail now stands. anlI
turns him into it.
The North Carolina wagons are
around dispensing tobacco and ap
ples. Old lady Anderson and others
are there with ginger cakes and ci
der. to the great delight of the ju
veniles. Four or more Yankee ped
diers. with spanking horses and
bright-painted Jersey w\agons. all
gayly decorated with brilliant col
ors, come dashing down Main
street. They siread out their wares
in attractive style, to the annoyance
of the merchants. But the legisla
ture soon closed the peddlers out.
Itere comes a fine sight.-a
string of beautiful satin-skinned
stallions-ertrand. Clocksundav.
Murat. and. others-whose every
movement was the poetry of mo
tion. led by their grooms in a trot
around the court house.
Ah ! salesday in those old times
was a capital (lay. with much
amuseipent and enjovient. How
is it now?
Carwile gives a nice description
of the old court house and court
room. Opposite the bench w\as the
prisoner's box. guarded by a tip
staff. and there was one tip-staff at
the entrance to each jury box. The
I old court house. was verv substan
tial. but the people. desiring a new
one, exhibited some cracks to good
old Judge Richardson. and he, be
lieving it was dangerous. gave his
influence for a new one.
CouRT ).\Y IN OLD NEWBERRY.
It is court day. and the officers
and lawyers are on the alert. Now
comes R. R. Nance, sheriff. with
a drawn sword and' cocked hat.
escorting the Judge with a gown
under his arm to the court house.
As *:- t:es tiL, Leich he enrobes
hin elf with a .-gnificent vesture
of * ren ,ny.-a iluwirg black silk
gev.::. Sitting aro-.i( are.the law
vers. all draped in black. according
to the rule prevailing at that time.
The good old clerk. Y. J. Harring
ton, nicely draped, is at the clerk's
(I,- k.
T!at grn-:e old lawyer. James L.
1".ttigrew. at one t:,ne not having
on the required black coat. com
menced to address the court. when
the judge said:
"Mr. Pettigrew. you have on a
light coat: you, cannot speak."
*Quoth Air. Pettigrew:
formay it p)lease the bench. I con
fomstrictly to the lawv. Let me
illustrate: 'The law says the bar
rister shall wear a black gown and
coat, and your Honor thinks that
a black coat."
"Yes," replied the judge.
Mr. Pettigrew proceeds:
"Well, the law says the sheriff
shall wear a cocked hat and sword.
Must the sword be cocked as well
as the hat?"
Mr. Pettigrew went on with his
argument.
Sam Slick thus ridicules the
gowns:
"What on earth can a black
gowh have to do with intelligence?
Them sort of liveries may do in
Europe. but they don't convene to
our free and enlightened citizens.
No. sir: our lawyvers do as they
like. Some dress in black. some in
white: some carry walking sticks.
some umb rellas : some wvhittle wvith
their knives, some shave the table:
some put their legs under the table.
s.~o:i top. just as it suits them.
T:s- sit as thery please, dress as they
please. talk as they please. If the
(Continued on Page z.)
NEWS FROM PROSPERITY.
The Elegant Banquet of the Literary
Sorosis-Alkahest Libraries-Other
Matters.
Prosperity. March 24.-The
:ven ot o most Peculiar interest
amon t us for the past week was
Jie banquet of the Literary Sorosis.
This. the first anniversary of this
litcrary organization. was held in
legant apartnents at the home of
irs. \\' . Moselev. Miss Fran
:es RawI presided at this feast of
reason and 1hm- of soul and each
nember was attende(I hv an in
vited guest. whereby the men have
eintered the guarded precincts and
tasted of the sweets of the Sorosis.
Last evening. A\larch 23. .lMr. E
\\. Rose. from the Alkahest Ly
ceum system, was with us in the
interest of the librarx donation,
scheme of .\r. Andrew ..cCon
nIL. the president of the Alkahest.
This scheme. inaugurated by that
southern Carnegie. appeals to any
community interested in a librarv
for schools. It is understood that
Little Mountain has arranged for
two attractions from this source. of
Z25 each, and will get in books for
their school library the anmount they
pay for the attractions.
Ars. S. W. Calmes is readv to
display the beauties of millinery
art to an admiring public and today
and tomorrow she calls her spring
opening. On some day in the early
Ipart of the next week. probably
Tuesday. Mrs. Aosely will begin
her millinery opening.
It is now a pretty well establish
ed fact that Dr. G. I. Alerrit and
famii will leave us in .lay and will
make thir. future home in Char
leston. The community regrets
very much to lose them and this re
gret is made stronger by the fact
that they are so hightly esteemed
among us.
Miss Marie' Bobb has returned
to her work at Marion. S. C. This
makes her third millinery season
at this place.
Mrs. E. D. Martin. of Newberry.
is visiting her mother. Mrs. H. S.
Boozer.
Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Wise came
home for a few days this week but
have again returned to Columbia.
'Mrs. E. Dewadt is oft on a visit
to her brother in upper N< wmberry
county.
AIrs. Turnipseed has been spend
ing, some time with Mrs. J. H. Hun
ter's family.
STATE DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE.
State Gonvention to Meet on May 81.
Primary in Second District to be Held
April 23.
The state (lemocratic committee
met in Columbia on Tuesday night
andl called the state convention and(
fixed the (late for the primary for
the unexp)ired term of Congress
from the 2nd congressional district.
on April 23. The invitation to hold.
the state convention in Spartanburg
was declined, and the convention
ordered to be held in Columbia on
May~ 18. There was a very good:
attendance of members of the com
mittee-twenty-five of the forty
one members being present. Col.
Wilie Jones, chairman of the com
mittee, presided.
On motion of Mr. Crews, of
Laurens, the invitation of the chamn
of commerce, of Spartanburg, that
the next state convention be held
there, was declined with assurances
of the deepest appreciation.
The invitation was declined be
cause of the more central location
of Columbia. The claim of Spar
tanburg was not pressed. but the
invitation was formally presentedI
through the secretary of the chanm
ber of comerce of Spartanburg.
Air. Mlagill offered the following
resolutions as to the state conven
tion. which was unanimouly
adopted:
--~A convention of the democratic
1)art 4If the State or South taro
lina is hereby called to meet in the
city of Columbia. at 12 oclock on
May 18. 1904. for the purpose of
electing delegates to the national
democratic convention and in trans
act such other business as the con
venti'n may deem proper.
.Tie C'nty17tv ch:irmn1en through
a the Stte ae7i e: instructed
to cal togetler their e.x ltive comi
mittees and order meetings of the
clubs in their respective counties
on Saturday. April 23. for the pur
),-se of electing delegates to the
couInty I cnvention1 to be held on
.\iidar. .lay 2. jIo4. for the pur
ectmg delegates to the
')o5;e ot C.tl l
tale convenuon. and state exeu
tive colmmitteeilenl. Each coiunty
is entitled to twice the nunber of
delegates in this convention as it
has members of the legislature."
SOUTH CAROLINA NEWS.
Items of More of Less Interest Con
densed in the State.
The trustees of Campobello
school. in Spartanburg county. have
dismissed the principal of the
school for drinking and swearing.
The barn and stables of Mr.
John jay, who lives two miles west
of Salui(la. were burned by fire.
which was ev(iently of incendiary
ori-1in.
.\ndrew Cargnegie's gift of S20
oo to Winthrop college for the
support of a library is now definite
iv assured by a letter which has
been received by President John
son1. Of the college.
Philip Wright. a colored boy.
was scalded to death on a little
steamer in Stono river. The boy
had gone to sleep ill all enclosed
part of the boat and the breaking
of a steai pipe near him caused
his death.
The directors of the Riverside
mill. at Anderson. have decided to
double the size and output of the
mill at once. The -directors of the
Anderson Telephone company have
decided to increase its capital from
Sio.ooo to S30.ooo.
A white man by the name of
Kelley was caught in the act of
robbing a store at Lucknow on last
Saturday night. It is said the
young man was under the influence
of liquor and did not know what
he was doing. but not much cre
dence is given this statement.
One of the largest suits which
has ever been filed in Charleston
couinty will be heard probably this
week. It is that of Sophira Marion
against the city of Charleston. She
wants Smoo.ooo for the alleged fail
ure of the city to live tip to its con
tract in p)avinlg and lighting a num
ber of streets which she dIeeded to
tile city through her lands. She
also wants the lands to revert to
her..
Robert Stephenson. Simons, who
won the competitive examination
held in Columbia for a West Point
cadetship, may lose the apointment
on account of his not having used
his full name. He signed his
papers "Robert Stephenson," hav
ing since given as a reason that he
wanted to avoid newspaper notorie
tv. It was thought at first that he
Iid not use his full name on ac
count of the wearied condition of his
mind after the long examination.
Friends from his home. Charleston;
and other points of the state are
exerting themselves in his behalf.
Death at Moliohon.
The two-year-old (laughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Will Y. Johnson,
of Mollohon. (lied on Ttiesday af
ternoon. of pneumonia, and was
buried at Rosemont on WVednesday
afternoon. The funeral wvas con
rdceel by the Rev. N. N. Burton.
THE WAR SITUATION
IN THE FAR EAST.
PORT ARTHUR AGAIN BOMBARDED BY
THE JAPANESE.
Improbable Stories to the Effect that Port
Arthur Has Fallen, Which Are
Denied.
Except for the bombardment of
Port Arthur by the Japanese fleet
ald for the vague stories of Port
.\rthur's fall there has not been
verv much news fron *the Russo
Japane. war during the past sev
A dispatch to Reuter's Telegram
Company from St. Petersburg
savs:
Japanese torpedo boats appeared
off Port Arthur at midnight of the
night of March 21-22 and the shore
batteries and . guard ships shelled
them for twenty minutes.
"Thc Japanese rereated. but re
appearc( four hours later. when
they met with same reception,
when they retire(d again.
"At 6 a. m. a Japanese squadron
of two divisions. composed of four
and eleven ships and accompanied
by eight torpedo boats. appeared
and the Russian squadron sailed
out from the outer roadstead to
meet them.
"No further details regarding the
action are available.
..At 9 a. i. the Japanese battle
ships. having fired several shots
at Liaotishin and sheltered behind
the promontory. commenced a bom
hardment of Port Arthur.
Tokio. March 23.-A special
dispatch from Moji (opposite
Shimonoseki. Japan) says the Jan
anese fleet made another attack on
Port Arthur on March 18. bom
barded the city and its defences and
fought a furious engagement with
the Japanese 9eet OuLLSide the har
bor. dstroying one Russian battle
ship. Seven Japanse casualties are
reported. There is no information
concerning the Japanese fleet's con
dition.
This is the first announcement of
tm tngagement off Port Arthur on
.\larch 18. Special dispatches re
ceived in London this afternoon
contain the same details of an en
gagement being given as March 22,
which probably is correct.
The Associated Press dispatches
from St. Petersburg last night gave
full details of the fight at Port Ar
thur March 22.
St. Petersburg. March 24. 2.34 a.
m.-As no further dispatches. of
ficial or otherwise. have arrived
here from Port Arthur up to this
morning the officials have come to
the concltusion that the bombard
ment by the Japanese fleet on the
night of Marc~h 21 and the morning
of March 22 failed to cause any
damage considered worthy to be
reported to the emperor. In con
sequence considerable satisfaction
at the continued fruitlessness of the
Japanese assaults on Port Arthur
prevails in high circles.
-Cnurch and State.
Batesburg Advocate.
A majority of the exchanges
coming to our office contain edi
torial mention of the fact that Hon.
John Bell Towill upon becoming a
dispensary commissioner withdrew
from the church. They are loud in
their praise, claiming that there was
no other course open to him. We
do not agree with our brothers. for
if Mr. Towill is honest in what he
says as to the manner in which he
will discharge the duties of that
office, and we believe he is,
there is no reason wvhy he should
not be a member of the church, and
we are glad to learn that some
weeks ago our friend deposited his
church letter with the Bethlehem
Baptist church, near this place. and
i,again in the fold.